Bagging process

ABSTRACT

When an air jet has partially opened the mouth of the top bag in a pack of horizontal bags, a carriage carrying bag-opening jaws is moved toward the bag to shift such jaws in contracted condition into the partially-opened bag mouth. The jaws are then spread to distend the bag mouth. The opposite ends of the mouths of the bags below the top bag are clamped except to release the top bag as it is being distended by the jaws. Pushers, carried by an endless chain, moving orbitally first engage an article to be bagged, then push it between the spread jaws into the bag and finally move the bag and bagged article generally horizontally away from the bag pack and bag-opening jaws, which strips the top bag from the pack. The air jet is operated by the next article to be bagged to initiate opening of the new top bag.

States Patent 1191 1111 3,868,807 Noyes et al. Mar. 4, 1975 BAGGINGPROCESS 3,217,464 11/1965 Feingold 53/187 7 [75] Inventors: Bmy P Noyes;Howard L Willard 3. 2s,171 1/1966 Cory... 53/187 both of Seattle washPrimary E.ran1ine1'Robert L. Spruill [73] Assignee: Alvin C. Formo,Seattle, Wash. At rn y, g FiI'l1IR0bel't Beach [22] F1led: Apr. 23, 1973[57] ABSTRACT PP 353,707 When an air jet has partially opened the mouthof the Rented 5 Application Data top bag in a pack of horizontal bags, acarriage carry- [60] Continuation of Ser. No. 164.863, July 6, 1971, mgl t' Jaws the bag abandoned which is a Continuation of Ser NO such aws1n contracted condluoh into the partially- March 2' i970 abandonedwhich' is opened bag mouth. The jaws are then spread to disdivision 61Ser. N6. 757.513. Aug. 5, 1968. Pat. N0. tend the bag mouth The Oppositeends Of the mouths 3,508,379. which is a continuation of Ser. No. Of theags low he IOP bag are clamped except to 299.948. Aug. 5, 1963.abandoned. release the top bag as it is being distended by the jaws.Pushers, carried by an endless chain, moving orbitally [52] [1.8. CI.53/29, 53/74 first engage an article to be bagged, then push it be- [51]Int. Cl..... B65b 5/06, B65b 43/26, B65b 57/12 tween the spread jawsinto the bag and finally move [58] Field of Search 53/29, 74, 187, l88,189, the bag and bagged article generally horizontally away 53/38 S fromthe bag pack and bag-opening jaws, which strips the top bag from thepack. The air jet is operated by [56] References Cited the next articleto be bagged to initiate opening of the UNITED STATES PATENTS new p3.206.913 9/1965 Fleigher et al 53/189 1 Claim, 10 Drawing FiguresPATENTEDHAR 5 3,868,807

SHEET 1 OF 3 INVENTORS 5/11.) Novas I37 Hon/40o L. I v/[44x20 4I'TOP/VEV FHENTED H975 3,868,807

SHIU 2 UP 3 INVENTORS. BILLY 9 Moms A/OWA/FD L WILLARD AT O/PIVIFIBAGGING PROCESS This application is a continuation of application Ser.No. 164,863, filed July 26, 1971, for Bagging Process, now abandoned,which was a continuation of our application Ser. No. 15,763, filed Mar.2, 1970, for Bagging Process, now abandoned, which was a division of ourapplication Ser. No. 757,513, filed Aug. 5, 1968, for Bagging Machine,now US. Pat. No. 3,508,379, which was a continuation of application Ser.No. 299,948, filed Aug. 5, 1963, for Bagging Machine, now abandoned.

The invention is concerned with a machine capable of opening thin filmbags and inserting into them successive articles in a continuousoperation involving progressive movement in the same direction ofarticles to be bagged and the articles after having been bagged, withoutcounter-movement of empty bags prior to the bagging operation.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a baggingprocess capable of high speed operation in a continuous manner with aminimum of labor required to handle large quantities of articles to bebagged.

For the purposes of exemplifying the invention, the same is described asapplied in the bakery industry for bagging bread loaves, sliced orunsliced. It will of course be obvious that the invention is equallyapplicable to other industries and other uses. Therefore, there is nointention to limit the invention to bakery uses.

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a bagging machine which may be used to performthe process of this invention.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary enlarged elevations of bag-distendingand bag-filling components with portions omitted or broken away or shownin section.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective of the jaw carriage.

FIG. 6 is an elevation of the bag-engaging end of the bag-distendingcarriage.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective ofa portion of the transfer table and itsassociated air duct.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top perspective of a portion of the bag supplytable.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective of the open end portion of a typical bagused in the process of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section of a modified bag-lip holdingmechanism.

The machine frame comprises foot members, 10, 11 joined lengthwise ofthe machine by base 12. Uprights l3, 14 rise to carry spaced-aparttracks 15, 16 at the ends of which are members 17 supporting bearings 18for the shafts carrying sprockets 19, 20.

A motor base 22 supports the main drive electric motor 24, reductiongear box 26 and bearings 28 for drive shaft 30. Drive chain 32connecting drive sprocket 34 on the output shaft of gear box 26 andsprocket 36 on shaft 30 transmits power to such shaft. On drive shaft 30is driven sprocket 38 engaging upwardly extending driven chain 40 whichin turn passes around sprocket 42 on countershaft 44 journalled inbearings 46. By suitable change-direction means (not shown) torque istransmitted from shaft 44 to sprocket shaft 47 and sprocket 19. Acarrier chain 48 encircles sprockets 19 and 20. The horizontal chainportions travel on and are supported by tracks 15, 16 which in FIG. 6are seen to be inverted T-shape in cross-section.

Chain 48 moves continually during operation of the machine and carries,in the illustrated instance, three pusher members 50 each of which has adownward and forward projecting curved arm 51 and a bifurcated upperyoke 52, which straddles the track 16 when the pusher is travellingalong the lower stretch of its orbit, as shown in FIG. 6. Such pushersare thus moved by the chain continuously and uninterruptedly always inthe same circulatory sense along the orbit established by such chain.Such yoke carries guide rollers 53 that ride on the flanges of thetracks l5, 16. Each pusher has a stabilizing, forwardly-extending arm 54also having guide rollers 53. The yoke 52 and arm 54 are suitablyattached to chain 48 to be moved thereby in an endless guided path oftravel.

Each pusher 50 has a broad pusher face which engages the article beingbagged, such as a loaf of bread.

The machine main frame supports a guide-on table 60 which extends fromthe left of the machine as viewed in FIG. 1 toward the right. Articlesto be bagged are delivered to this table by suitable conveyor means, asfrom a bread slicer. To facilitate operation it is desirable, as in thecase of a bread slicer, that the delivery means to table 60 be driven insuitable timed sequence. Hence, power-take-off sprocket 62 on main shaft30 is provided. A sprocket chain (not shown) between sprocket 62 and asimilar sprocket on the associated delivery mechanism transfers power tothe delivery means in such desired relationship.

Beneath table 60 is a fan blower 64 driven by motor 66 which dischargesinto the duct 68 that directs the air to the right in FIG. 1 toward theend of table 60 which is extended by a grid 70 formed of rods generallyaligned with the direction of article travel as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7and 8. Beneath grid] 70 the duct 68 has a rising bottom 72 to deflectthe air upward through the grid openings.

Within duct 68 is a high-pressure air conduit tube 74 shown in FIGS. 3and 4 having a nozzle 76 which terminates at the lip of sloping ductbottom 72. Air under substantial pressure is supplied in timedrelationship to nozzle 76 through a distribution valve 80 shown in FIG.1 from a suitable supply line 79.

Referring particularly to the end view of FIG. 6, it will be observedthat the mechanism is shown slightly tilted. It has been found that asliced loaf of bread can be handled more smoothly and uniformly if itrests in the angle formed by two angularly disposed surfaces. For thisreason table 60 is likewise tilted at the point where it receives thebread loaves to be bagged. Side rail 61 is engaged by the side ofa breadloaf. It will, of course, be apparent that, in bagging articles of amore geometrical or uniform nature, the tilted arrangement may beomitted.

A pair of frame arms 82, 82 supports spaced apart housing walls 84, 84which rise from such arms to table 60, as shown in FIGS. ll, 2 and 6..The inner surface of each wall 84 has a pair of vertically spaced-apart,laterally offset rails 86, 88 which extend longitudinally of themachine. The carriage 90 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 reciprocates on rails86, 88. Such carriage comprises cross plate 91 joining side members 92,92 which support upright arms 93, 93. Extending forwardly from each arm93 is a fixed jaw 94. On the outer face of each side member 92 are twopairs of grooved wheels 95 mounted on stub axles 96. The inner wheels ofeach pair roll on rails 88 and the outer wheels roll on offset rails 86above them. The carriage 90 is reciprocated by air acting on the pistonof air-cylinder jack 97 whereby piston rod 98 is reciprocated forwardand back. Rod 98 is coupled to plate 91. Table 60 has slots 99 shwon inFIGS. 6 and 7 in which the arms 93 move during reciprocation of carriage90.

ends thereof. The inner end of each shaft 101 is secured to an upper jawarm 103 which carries a curved bag-opening jaw portion 104. Rocking ofcranks 102 swings up and down the upper jaw arms 103 and theirrespective bag-opening portions 104. Each air-cylinder jack 105 ispivotally mounted at 106 on a frame arm 82 and its piston rod 107 ispivotally connected to an adjustable link 108 which in turn is pivotallyconnected to a crank arm 102. Contraction of a jack 105 retracts rod 107and pulls on link 108 after the carriage 90 has been moved forward bythe extension of air-cylinder jack 97 projecting rod 98. Air is suppliedto cylinders 105 through hoses 106 seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The lower edges ofjaws 94 have inwardly-projecting flanges 109 shown inFIGS. 3 and to aid in supporting the side portions of articles passingbetween the carriage jaws. .law portions 104 also rest on flanges 109 intheir down or contracted position. In their spread or bagmouth-distending portion upper bag-opening jaw portions 104 areseparated sufficiently to permit the shank of yoke 52 of pusher 50 topass therebetween. Pusher face 56 passes beneath jaw portions 104 whenthey are raised. Springs 110 connected between carriage 90 and jaws 104bias the jaws downward.

Bags 117 to be filled are supplied in a pack at a bagfilling stationabove bag table 120 which moves up and down on rails 122 as shown inFIG. 1. Table 120 is L- shaped, has a back wall 121 and is upwardlybiased by springs 124. The bags used are preferably collapsed envelopesof polyethylene, or similar film material, and each has a lower wallforming a lip 118 which extends beyond the mouth end of the upper wallas shown in FIG. 9. This lower wall lip is punched to provide holes 119and slits 114.

When a supply of bags 117 is deposited on table 120 the extended baglips 118 overlie the slightly downturned rear edge 123 of table 120,which is pierced with holes coincident with bag lip holes 119, toreceive the legs of a downwardly open U-shaped wire wicket member 125which holds the bags in place on the table. As may be seen in FIG. 4,the upwardly biased bag table 120 having the lips 118 of the bags 117lying on ramp 123 causes the bag lips to be pressed against the underside at 73 of the bottom 72 of air duct 68 to thereby grip the lips ofthe bags.

Table 120 is restrained against unrestricted movement by screw 126 innut 127 carried beneath the table. Screw 126 is journalled in fixedbearing 128 and has a manually operable crank 129 on its lower end. Thescrew 126 is indexed rotatively by the action of ratchet means 130 whichis activated by the solenoid 131 carried by the machine frame.

The opposite ends of the lower lips 118 of the bag mouths are pressed toramp 123 and table 120 by bag lip-clamping means shown in FIGS. 1 and 2as rockable presser arms 134 pivoted on pins 135 and having thedepending yoked-together extension arms 136. Piston rod 137 ofair-cylinder jack 138 moves reciprocably and in so doing raises andlowers the clamping ends of arms 134 relative to the bag lips 118.

A microswitch 140 (see FIG. 1) at the loading station for articles to bebagged has a long thin finger 142 which extends over the surface oftable 60 from behind guide wall 61. Switch 140 controls the operation ofthe high-pressure air jet through nozzle 76, the raising and lowering ofthe presser arms 134 of the bag-lip holder, and the operation of the bagtable 120 indexing means actuated by solenoid 131.

As shown in FIG. 1, air hoses 160, 161 connect between cylinder 138 andvalve 80. Likewise air cylinder 97 is hose-connected to valve whichconstantly receives air under substantial pressure through conduit 79.

When the machine is performing a continuously repetitive baggingoperation, the following parts are always in motion: (a) the drive shaft30 rotates and chains 40 and 48 and the several pushers 50 carried bythe latter travel endlessly in their prescribed paths past the loadingstation and the bag-filling station; (b) blower 68 provides a steady,uniform supply of lowpressure air through duct 68 and upwardly outthrough grid 70; and (c) the sprocket 62 which is connected to a relatedbread slicer revolves constantly.

Whenever an article, for example a bread loaf, to be bagged comes intocontact with feeler finger 142 of switch 140 by placing it at theloading station alongside such switch, a blast of high-pressure air issupplied to nozzle 76. This initiates a rippling action of the upperwall of the top bag 117 on table 120, causing its upper lip to rise andto catch low pressure air in volume flowing out of duct 68, thusinflating the bag, all as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8. Simultaneously, thepresser arms 134, by projection of piston rod 137 from cylinder 138, areraised from the opposite ends of bag lips 118 releasing pressure on thepack of bags. The bag lip 118 of the top bag is restrained by the baleor wicket 125. At the time switch 140 is actuated, solenoid 131 ischarged, causing indexing screw 126 to turn sufficiently to permit table120 to rise slightly.

As the top bag 117 is becoming suitably inflated the jaw carriage movesforward with bag-opening jaws 104 in the down or contracted positionshown in FIG. 3. This causes the fixed jaw elements 94 and movable jawelements 104 to be introduced into the opened mouth of the inflated topbag. Thereupon, jacks are contracted, pulling links 108, causing crankarms 102 to rock and raise jaw arms 103 while the presser arms 134 arestill raised from the upper bag lip 118. Jaws 104 rise engaging theupper inside of the bag mouth, distending and shaping it to receive thearticle to be bagged. Such distension also raises and moves inward theopposite ends of the top bag lower lip 118. The presser arms 134 arethen lowered again to clamp the opposite ends of the lower lips 118 ofall the bags except the top bag in the pack. Air flows constantly intothe top bag from duct 68.

If the top bag has not been thus inflated, of course, as a result ofthere being no article at the loading station to contact finger 142 andactuate microswitch 140, the jaw elements 94 and 104 would not beintroduced into the unopened bag mouth but would simply pass above thetop bag without distending such bag, as shown in full lines in FIG. 1.Also, since microswitch was not actuated, the bag table would not beraised to index the bag pack upward. Consequently, the top bag would notbe dispensed from the bag pack when no article to be bagged is deliveredto the loading station which would engage finger 142 to actuatemicroswitch 140.

When a loaf of bread has been delivered to the loading station and thetop bag opened, as described, in appropriately timed relation a pusher50 advances such loaf of bread from the loading station at the left inFIG. 1 to the right along table 60, across grid 70 and between thespread bag jaws 104 through the distended bag mouth into the inflatedbag. It has been found, in the case of sliced bread, that thedisplacement of air from the bag by the entry of the bread loaf impartssufficient pressure on the leading slices of the loaf to keep them fromtilting forward, thus maintaining a compact slice arrangement. Prior tothis, flexible fingers or blades 180 restrain forward tilting or tippingof the leading bread slices as they move toward the jaw carriage 90.

As pusher 50 advances the bread loaf or other article into the distendedmouth of the top bag 117 and such article reaches the closed end of thebag, the mouth thereof is engaged by the shank of pusher 50. Thisimparts a pull on the bag lower lip 11.8 held only by the two wire legsof wicket member 125 extending through holes 119, no longer held bypresser arms 134, stressing the lip at the points of engagement, i.e.,holes 119, with the legs of wicket or bale 125. The bag lip, weakened byslits 114, tears loose from the restraining action of the bale legs andit and its contents move off the machine away from the spreading meansand the bagsupporting means at the bag-filling station across adischarge surface 182 for bag closing and other disposition.

In FIG. is shown a slightly modified mechanism for clamping the lowerlips 118 of bags 117. The ramp 123 is notched and presser shoe 190 movesthrough the notch. Shoe 190 is carried on bell crank lever 192,pivotally supported at 193 on the underside of table 120. Piston rod 194of air-cylinder jack 195 is connected to the bell crank 192. Jack 195 ispivotally mounted on the bottom side of table 120 remote from ramp 123.A bolt 196 on the bell crank 192 has an adjustable member 197 threadedthereon. Tension spring 198 extending between member 197 and the bottomof table 129 biases the presser shoe 190 into the clamping positionrelative to the air duct bottom wall 72. The lower lips 118 of bagstherebetween are thus clamped. ln operation the jack is actuated toretract piston rod 194 and thus release this clamping pressure atapproximately the same instant that a loaf of bread reaches the bottomof an inflated bag 117 to permit the lower bag lip 118 to be easilystripped from the bale or wicket 125.

We claim:

1. In the process of automatically bagging successive articles includingsupplying a pack of bags at a bagfilling station, successively andintermittently placing articles to be bagged at a loading station aheadof the bag-filling station alongthe path of pusher means moving from theloading station to and past the bag-filling station, blowing air towardthe mouth of the top bag in the pack for partially opening such bagmouth, and mechanically distending the partially-opened mouth of suchtop bag for receiving an article to be bagged by movement of such pushermeans, the improvement which comprises moving pusher means continuallyand uninterruptedly always in the same circulatory sense along anorbital path past the loading station whether or not an article to bebagged is located at such loading station and then to and past thebag-filling station, initiating operation of an air jet automaticallytoward the mouth of the top bag only in response to arrival at theloading station of an article to be bagged, clamping the bags in the bagpack during such air blowing for partially opening of the mouth of thetop bag and releasing the top bag as its mouth is mechanicallydistended, reclamping the bags in the bag pack below the top bag priorto moving the pusher means past the bag-filling station, continuingmovement of the pusher means to and past the bag-filling station whilethe bags in the pack below the top bag are held in clamped condition,and by such movement of the pusher means past the bag-filling stationremoving the top bag from the stack only if the mouth of the top bag ismechanically distended and the pusher means moves an article to bebagged from the loading station into such distended mouth of the topbag, the pusher means otherwise passing over the top bag if its mouth isnot distended.

@753? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 33 7 D t March/L. i975 IIWEMOIW) Billy P. Nores and Howard L. Willard Itis certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Title page, Section 75 should read:

Inventors Billy P. Noyes, Seattle, Wash. Howard L. Willard, Richardson,Texas Title page, Section 73 should read:

Title page, Section 60, line 1, the date should read -July 26, 1971--Signed. and sealed this 20th day of May 1.91 5.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents attesting Officerand Trademarks

1. In the process of automatically bagging successive articles includingsupplying a pack of bags at a bag-filling station, successively andintermittently placing articles to be bagged at a loading station aheadof the bag-filling station along the path of pusher means moving fromthe loading station to and past the bag-filling station, blowing airtoward the mouth of the top bag in the pack for partially opening suchbag mouth, and mechanically distending the partially-opened mouth ofsuch top bag for receiving an article to be bagged by movement of suchpusher means, the improvement which comprises moving pusher meanscontinually and uninterruptedly always in the same circulatory sensealong an orbital path past the loading station whether or not an articleto be bagged is located at such loading station and then to and past thebag-filling station, initiating operation of an air jet automaticallytoward the mouth of the top bag only in response to arrival at theloading station of an article to be bagged, clamping the bags in the bagpack during such air blowing for partially opening of the mouth of thetop bag and releasing the top bag as its mouth is mechanicallydistended, reclamping the bags in the bag pack below the top bag priorto moving the pusher means past the bag-filling station, continuingmovement of the pusher means to and past the bagfilling station whilethe bags in the pack below the top bag are held in clamped condition,and by such movement of the pusher means past the bag-filling stationremoving the top bag from the stack only if the mouth of the top bag ismechanically distended and the pusher means moves an article to bebagged from the loading station into such distended mouth of the topbag, the pusher means otherwise passing over the top bag if its mouth isnot distended.